Autism/22 year old son

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Expert: - 9/8/2009


Question
Our 22 year old son, though not diagnosed, has certain features of AS, including eye contact problem, sound emotivity, strange walk, obsessive interest in certain topics, lack of interest in peers, etc.
We are wondering how to find help. In particular he is living with us and your answer to another question caught me attention that there are group residences with assistance for job training and therapy. He is graduating from the U pretty soon with very little work experience and no idea what he wants to do after graduating.
What do you suggest we should do?

Answer
Hi Ehsan,

Before your son is eligible for any services, such as a group home, he will need a diagnosis. This is a tricky thing. Finding a clinician to diagnose an adult can be difficult. I would recommend contacting the American Psychiatric Assoc. or another professional body to see if you can find a qualified doctor.

Most people living in these group situations are fairly severely affected. They are not able to perform the tasks of daily living well enough to live alone. Since your son is graduating from college, he is a very high-functioning person. It is unlikely he will be happy with the kind of program most such places provide.

Another thing to consider, does he want a label? This kind of "oddity" may not hamper him, depending on the field he hopes to enter. If he is going into computer programming or research, he may find many others like himself. On the other hand, if his chosen field requires lots of social interaction, it may turn out to be a major difficulty.

If he does not acknowledge he has a "problem", he's not going to cooperate with a diagnostic interview.

I think it would be best for your son to try his wings before seeking a diagnosis. If things don't go well in the job world, then it would be a good idea to seek a professional opinion.

If you would like to read more about the topic, try this book: “Developing Talents: Careers for Individuals with Asperger Syndrome and High-Functioning Autism” by Temple Grandin, Kate Duffy, and Tony Attwood

Best wishes,
Catherine

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Catherine Ridenour

Expertise

I can answer your questions about parenting your High Functioning Autisic or Asperger`s Syndrome child. In particular, questions about family life, discipline, siblings, finding resources, and working with (sometimes opposing) the educational system are welcome.

Experience

I am the parent of an Asperger's Syndrome child who is now 22 years old. She went undiagnosed for 14 years of her life, so I have done extensive reading and Internet research into the possible cause of her difficulties. Even a short 8 years ago, A.S. was practically unheard of by the public educational system.

We fumbled our way through her childhood and early adolescence without any effective outside support. In some ways, that may have been a blessing as we were focused on her abilities rather than a label for her disability. However, I can think of many times when knowing WHY would have been comforting.

Had we known very early on, some social skills interventions might have made her life in school easier. At this point, I like her for who she is so I do not regret how things have turned out. More importantly, she likes herself.

Education/Credentials
I have a Bachelor of Science in Education.

I have worked to educate myself about Autism in general and HFA/AS in particular.

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